Read: Deuteronomy 10:12–22 What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him. Deuteronomy 10:12 In the remote region of Ghana where I lived as a boy, “Chop time, no friend” was a common proverb....

Read: Mark 8:11–21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” Mark 8:21 My friend Bob Horner refers to Jesus as “the Master Reminder.” And that is good, because we are so doubting and forgetful. No matter how often Jesus met the needs of the people who came to...

Read: Philippians 3:12–4:1 Stand firm in the Lord. Philippians 4:1 Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, China, is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. To view its towering cliffs in all their glorious splendor, you must take the Tianmen Shan cable car, which covers a distance of 7,455...

Read: Romans 4:18–25 [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God. Romans 4:20 “You gotta have faith,” people say. But what does that mean? Is any faith good faith? “Believe in yourself and all that you...

Read: John 7:53–8:11 Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. John 8:7 As a group of religious leaders herded an adulterous woman toward Jesus, they couldn’t know they were carrying her within a stone’s throw of grace. Their hope...

Read: Romans 8:22–34 The Spirit himself intercedes for us . . . . [Christ Jesus] is also interceding for us. Romans 8:26, 34 When we face a perplexing situation or a tough problem, we often ask our brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for us. It’s a great encouragement...

Read: Luke 12:22–34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34 At the memorial service for my friend’s dad, someone said to her, “Until I met your father, I didn’t know a person could have fun while helping others.” Her dad contributed his part in...

Read: Matthew 11:25–30 Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 While attending a concert, my mind detoured to a troublesome issue that insisted on my attention. Thankfully, the distraction was short-lived as the words of a beautiful hymn began to reach deep into my being. A men’s...

Read: 1 John 1:1–4 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes . . . this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 1 John 1:1 Early in my days of working as an editor for Our Daily Bread, I selected...

Read: Psalm 78:1–8 We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. Psalm 78:4 I enjoy watching relay races. The physical strength, speed, skill, and endurance required of the athletes amaze me. But one crucial point of the race always gets my special attention and makes me...

Read: Isaiah 50:4–10 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. Isaiah 50:4 A few days after his father died, 30-year-old C. S. Lewis received a letter from a woman who had cared for his mother during her illness and death...

Read: Psalm 100 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4 When you enter some of the greatest cities in the world, you can encounter famous gates such as the Brandenburg Gate (Berlin), the Jaffa Gate (Jerusalem), and...